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UAS Flights of up to 100km permitted by French Aviation Authorities

France takes a huge leap forward, this permission has major implications for power and pipe line simple surveys and anything that happens BLOS (beyond visual line of sight)

Congratulations must go to Delair Tech! Pushing the boundaries!

French Civil Aviation Authority, the DGAC, awarded Delair-Tech the first authorisation ever issued to a UAS company in France, for a civil UAS to fly over 100 km in French airspace.

Delair-Tech is based in Toulouse and specialised in the design and manufacturing of long endurance mini-UAS.

Bastien Mancini, COO, explained that, “The DT-18 aircraft , which weighs less than 2 kg is able to carry out missions of 100 km in France. This is a major step for our company; now all operators can use the DT -18, as they do with their aeroplanes or helicopters. This is all thanks to the remarkable work of the DGAC, who have strived very hard to publish and implement the regulation of 11th April 2012. This text is a world first. It defines the regulatory framework to allow the French UAS industry to begin its development, a step ahead of other countries, in a key and growing market.”

“Receiving this certification after several years of Research and Development has confirmed Delair-Tech’s company strategy to fully master all the technology lines, from the design of the autopilot to the manufacturing of composite structures, to the aerodynamic design and the development of on-board systems. We have developed nearly all the technology and systems in-house.” explains Michaël de Lagarde, the Company’s CEO. “This has allowed us to adapt quickly to the safety and security requirements.”

“We feel very honoured to have received this certification in Aquitaine. For several years now, this region has played a key role for the development of the UAS industry in France. The cooperation with the Midi-Pyrénées region through Aerospace Valley is key for us.» explains Benjamin Benharrosh, Director of Business Development. Delair-Tech can now propose complimentary products for existing solutions (aeroplanes, helicopters, satellites) for the various users of earth observation services : oil companies to survey their pipelines, the agricultural sector for the surveillance of crops and large farmland areas etc….. Delair-Tech UAS have an endurance of 100 km, a first for this aircraft size. They can be used to map large areas, take aerial video in real time or via Infra-red and also perform long distance remote data collection.

Delair Tech is an SME of 13 people, created in March 2011 by 4 engineers (French Polytechnique, Mines) with a background in the aerospace and petrol industry. Delair-Tech designs, manufactures and operates long endurance mini-drones and aims for a 3M€ turnover in 2015.

Based in Toulouse, in the heart of the future Montaudran-Aerospace centre, Delair-Tech manufactures its UAS on the historical site of the old Latécoère and Bréguet factories. Delair-Tech has built close partnerships and contacts with the local technological, political and economical institutions, signing for example a partnership with ISAE (Supaero university) and ENAC (French national Civil Aviation school) .